The String
by FfGirl22
Summary: Two years has passed and Naruto who almost achieved his dream still try to bring Sasuke home after his disappearance after the war. An appearance of new threat lead to them meeting each other again. With many challenges ahead of them and arise of new feeling that they both cannot longer ignore, the boys have to decide whether it will bring them together or drift them apart.


"This is heaven," Naruto said as he ate the ramen in front of him.

After being in Kumogakure for a month, he just glad to be home. Not that he have a problem going there, he got to hang out with Killer Bee Octopops and improve more of his kyuubi mode with Kurama. It just after the war and Grandma Tsunade give her hokage seat to Kakashi, he had been sent out on a many negotiation mission to all the village of 'Shinobi Alliance'. As the war hero, he had no choice but to go since it to maintain the peace and union between the five villages.

However, the missions does take a lot of his time away from home. He rarely hangs out with his friend any more, even Konohamaru complained that he so busy lately that he doesn't have time to train with him.

"There you are. I been looking everywhere for you."

Naruto turned and saw Sakura as she sit down beside him. She asked Old Man Teuchi for a bowl of ramen, as she wait for her meal she turns her attention back to him.

"I heard you back last night. How the mission goes?" Sakura asked.

"It was fine. I meet with A as we discuss how to manage the mission between Konoha and Kumogakure. I also got to hang out with Bee Octopops while I was there."

"That Raikage-Sama to you, Idiot," Sakura said as she hit him on the head. She shakes her head at him "Honestly, can you respect him a little?"

"Ouch! Sakura-Chan, that hurts!" Naruto yelped as he rubbed his head. He looked at her as Old Man Teuchi placed her ramen in front of her. "And why should I respect him? That guy is rude. If it wasn't for Bee Octopops, I won't even talked to him."

"You know that not the real reason, Naruto. So, don't lie to me," Sakura said as she slowly ate from her meal.

Naruto looked away from her. Sakura were right though, that not the real reason why he had a little respect for the current Raikage. His real reasons because this is the guy who tried to condemn his friend by having him executed for his crimes.

"He helped saved the world, Sakura-Chan. He even helped saved everyone from Infinite Tsukuyomi! He is a hero just like everybody else during a war! He deserve at least a respect for that!"

Sakura sighed. "I know, Naruto. But, you have to admit even though Sasuke helped us during the war that not excused him of his other crimes."

"He have a reason for that" Naruto muttered to himself as he remember what his friend have gone through.

Sakura frowned at him. "What do you mean?"

 _'_ _Idiot…'_ Naruto chastised himself. Sakura does not know the real reason Sasuke do what he did. Nobody know, not even Grandma Tsunade and other Kages. The only one who know is Kakashi, Captain Yamato and himself. The first time Naruto hearing it from Obito at Land of Iron, he been pissed and upset that Konoha willing to do that to her own people. He almost tell Grandma Tsunade the truth after the war but Kakashi held him back and tell him it only bring chaos within the village. Since the Konoha Elder is part of the council that govern the Konoha, if the story got out it will cause the civilians to start questions the way of Konoha government work. It also will ruin the union between Konoha and other villages. After what they all had gone through during the war, the last thing they need is the peace that they achieved right now going to waste. So, Naruto held himself back even it going against everything he believed in.

Naruto hated himself for not telling Sakura and other Konoha 11 the truth of what the Konoha Elders and Danzo did to Sasuke family and his brother. Even though, he does not agree with Sasuke way of revenge, he understand the pain Sasuke must be in. Being betrayed by his own village like that. He sure if the others know about this, they will also understand why Sasuke did what he did. Still, every times he open his mouth to tell them, he remember what Kakashi told him and he stopped and keep his silent.

 _'_ _I'm such a coward'_ Naruto berated himself.

"Naruto?"

Sakura concern voice interrupted Naruto from his thought as he looked up confused as why she sound like that. He then realized that he too immersed in his thought of what Sasuke been through that he break the glass that he been drinking into pieces. Some of the glass shard also pierced into his hand. _'Huh.._.'

"You idiot!" Sakura snapped at him as she take his hand "What are you thinking?!"

Naruto watch as Sakura take out the glass shard and healed his hand. He didn't realized when he hold the glass and he also didn't feel the pain when the glass break until Sakura mention it.

"Sorry, Sakura-Chan." Naruto apologized to Sakura.

"You have to take good care of yourself, Naruto." She said to him as she let go of his hand "I know you healed fast but you should be more careful."

"I know, Sakura-Chan. I was careless."

"You are always careless," she smiled at him.

"Yeah…" Naruto smiled at her. During situation like this, that Naruto appreciated the time that he had with her. He may like her when they was genin but then she grew up and his feeling change. She became strong in her own way and she always there for him like a sibling. Looking at it now, team seven like a family he never had when he was young where Sakura as his sister, Kakashi like a father or uncle to him, and Sasuke like a brother but his relationship with the dark haired nin are more complicated than that nowadays.

"You still need to explain to me, you know,"

"Huh?" Naruto looked at Sakura confused.

"What you said just now. That Sasuke have a reasons to do what he did."

Naruto laughed. "Didn't I?" You must have heard me wrong, Sakura-Chan. I didn't say anything."

Sakura narrowed her eye. She knew that were something that Naruto hide from her regarding Sasuke. She want to pressure him to tell her, but the look in his eye stopped her from asking more. Whatever secret he keep from her, it clearly bring burden to him. That why she will wait until Naruto ready to tell her himself.

"You right. Maybe it just my imagination" Sakura smiled. "Anyway, I have to go. My shift will start in an hour and I don't want to be late. I see you later, Naruto."

"Okay. See you later, Sakura-Chan." Naruto smiled. As soon she walk away, her back turned to him, his smile slowly disappeared. _'Sorry Sakura-Chan…'_ Naruto thought to himself as he watched her walk away.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sun was still setting by the time Naruto arrived at his house. His old apartment is one of the building that got destroyed during the Pain Invasion. After the war, being the war hero his friends and a few civilians build him a new house at the west side of Konoha. At first he want them to build his apartment like before but when he see how much they put effort in build him a new house, he just let them be. Now his new house is complete with three bedroom, two bathroom, a kitchen with dining room and a beautiful garden at the backyard which suggest by Iruka since he know how Naruto like to garden his plant.

"I'm home" said Naruto as he entered his apartment. He heading straight upstairs to his bathroom as to take a shower since he feel dirty from training earlier after his talk with Sakura at Ichiraku's. Water poured out of the shower faucet as he turning the handle. As he wait for the water to get warm, he start to take off his clothes. After the water warm enough, Naruto stepped into the bathtub and closed the curtain behind him.

After he finished shower and donned a pair of boxer and black shirt, Naruto lay on his bed as he looked up at the ceiling. Before there are many thing on his mind, with the mission, training and try hanging out with his friends. But now there are nothing to do but thinking, he mind start to drift to certain thing…or person. In this case that person is the missing dark haired nin.

After the war when they had finally defeated Uchiha Madara, Sasuke suddenly disappeared. At that time everyone start to wake up from their slumber cause by Infinite Tsukuyomi. Since they still confused with dream and reality after coming out of the cocoon, Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi try to help them. Naruto only takes his eye off of him for a few minutes and when he looked up he just gone as if he never been there in the first place. Only thing that left is a few residue of his chakra remain behind due to the fight with Madara earlier. If it wasn't for that, Naruto himself also think that it only a dream. He know it real, that Sasuke was there and fight alongside him just like old times. But, he got so careless that he let Sasuke easily escapes from his grasp again. He so naive into thinking that since Sasuke come helped them in the war that he were ready to come home. To them. To Konoha. He should have known that it not going to be easy.

Naruto looked at his palm the one that have the Sage of Six Path tattoo, the sun sign. Even after the war, the tattoo hasn't disappeared. Since they both got half of Sage of Six Path power, they can sense each other. A few times, when he on a mission he tries to sense Sasuke through that connection but all he got is quiet. Nothing. Like the connection been muted from other side. He do not know how that happen but somehow Sasuke able to stop their connection. He wasn't surprised if Sasuke manage to find a way on how to do that. _'That teme'_. At least the connection hasn't been cut off completely since Naruto still able to sense him and that at least tell Naruto that he alive just not his whereabouts. That help put his mind at ease a little bit, that Sasuke still out there and give him more determination to find him and bring him home.

Naruto sighed. "I have to find out his location first otherwise I'm searching blind here."

He looked out the window. As the night already descend, the sky is filled with beautiful stars. As he gazing at it, Naruto thought to himself _'Sasuke…where are you right now?'_

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Far away from Konoha, in a restaurant located at the village known as Suta.

"For god sakes, Shouta! How many times must I remind you do not forget to take out the trash after the closing hour?!" yelled a middle aged woman with a baby strapped at her back.

"Come on, Miyuri-San!" Shouta whined as he resting in one of the chair of the restaurant with his head on the table "I'm tired with all the work I had done. Can I rest for a while?"

"Works?! What works? All you have been doing today is flirting with all the female customer that comes today! I don't know why you bother. It not they paid you any attention anyway."

Shouta ignored her as he continue to lie his head on the table.

Miyuri shakes her head at him as she continue with her work in wiping the table. She then turned to the kitchen where a silhouette of a person with his back turned to her is washing the dishes.

"Sasuke, could you help me in take out the trash outside please?" Miyuri asked as she finished wiping the table.

Sasuke turned around as he wiped his hand on the towel hanging at the sink beside him. "Sure, Miyuri-San."

"Thank you." Miyuri smiled to him as he walked passed her to take out the trash outside. "At least there someone who you can count on around here."

Shouta narrowed his eye. "He just showing off, that all."

"He not showing off, Shouta. He not that kind of person."

"Please…he just work here for what? 6 month? You barely know him."

"That more than enough for me to know that he a hardworking person. Unlike someone I knew." Miyuri said to him as she stood behind the cash counter to count how much sales they earned for today.

"Whatever" Shouta rolled his eye at her.

"I already finished my work for today, Miyuri-San." Sasuke said to her as he finished come back from taking out the trash.

"Thank, Sasuke. Here" Miyuri said as she gives his paid for today.

"Thank you" Sasuke said as he take the money from her.

She smiled at him. "You earned it. Goodnight, Sasuke"

"Goodnight, Miyuri-San." The baby strapped behind her back cooing at him. "You too, Ai." Sasuke smiled at the baby as he walked out the restaurant.

As Sasuke leave the restaurant, Miyuri walked to Shouta and stood in front of him.

"Here, this is yours" Miyuri said as she also give him his paid. He take it from her and start to count it.

"This isn't right. This can't be the amount of what I have earned today." He raised his eyebrow at her.

"It is"

"But…but…I saw you give that bastard just now a lot more than you give me"

She smirked. "Well like I said he earned it. And he have a name, its Sasuke."

"I can't believe this! You going to favor him more over me!" Shouta looked at her with disbelief in his face.

Miyuri rolled her eye. "Don't be such a baby. If you put more effort in working, maybe you also will get the same amount paid like him."

"You praised him now…for all we know he could be a bad guy tried to take over your restaurant!" Shouta said to her as he stand and walked out of restaurant.

"Seriously, he and his imagination" Miyuri shakes her head as she locked everything up before she and her baby also leaves the restaurant.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sasuke slowly walked through the village as he headed to his apartment. He tugged his jacket closer to him as strong wind breeze past him. The weather at Suta at night is can be cold compared in a day due to that the village was located near a sea. Suta is a non-shinobi village which most of its villagers are consists of fisherman, farmers, carpenter and even blacksmiths. Even though there are no shinobi, the village still prosperous. Since there are many business in the village, it becomes a trade point for merchants from around the world.

As he arrived nearby his apartment, he looked at his surroundings. His apartment is located at the southern side of the village which it close to the center of the village if he to get any supplies he needed but still quite far enough to maintain his peace and quiet from noisy street.

As he reached his front door, he pulled out his key from his pants pocket. He managed to open his front door when someone touched his shoulder. He almost reached out and twisted the hand that touched his shoulder when that person opened his mouth.

"Did you just coming back now?" a man with orange hair and brown eye stood behind him.

Sasuke turned around. "What are you doing out here, Haru?"

"Is that a way to treat your neighbor?" Haru raised his eyebrow at him.

Sasuke just looked at him.

"Alright. I just come back from my date"

"You mean one of your conquest?"

"Ouch, conquest is a harsh word. You make me sound like a playboy or something."

"Hnn"

"Don't tell me you jealous?" Haru smirked at him

"And tell me what should I be jealous of?" Sasuke raised his eyebrow.

Haru smiled. "This piece of masterpiece." He mentioned himself "You want it for yourself, don't you? You can have it if you going on a date with me"

Sasuke scoffed at him. "Aren't you so full of yourself?"

"Come on, Sasuke. Is going out with me are so bad?"

"Yes" Sasuke answered. He turn around to get inside his apartment.

"Okay" Haru held up his hand in surrender gesture "but I'm not going to give up asking. You going to say yes to me someday."

Sasuke ignored him and closed the door behind him. Haru is his neighbor on the same floor and just two door from his apartment. He know Haru have a crush on him and been asking him out since he first living here. Even though same sex relationship is common thing, he don't have time for relationship right now. After the war, when he left the battlefield he completely avoid encounter any shinobi. He have the time to gather his thought during that time and he make promise to himself that he want to forget about everything. Konoha, his life as shinobi, his revenge, his family. Everything. The only thing he want to keep to his memory are the happy time he spent with his family. The only thing that left that he want to treasured and prevent from be tainted by his painful life. However, there one thing that prevent him from doing all of that.

 _'_ _Usuratonkachi'_ His rival, his best friend, his reincarnation brother. The person that haven't giving up on him no matter what he have done. He know that Naruto want him to come home. To Konoha. The problem is Konoha isn't his home anymore. Not anymore. He know that he won't be happy and at peace there, not while knowing what they did to his family, his clan. Knowing what they have put Itachi through. Thinking about Itachi still makes his heart aches and he don't know whether the pain will ever go away. Besides, he don't know whether he be alive if he been brought back to Konoha. With the crimes that he had done, he know he will not escape with just a slap to the wrist. They may have him been executed even though he helped them during the war. The Konoha Elder will sure agree with them just to keep their secret. _'That old geezers…'_ Sasuke thought to himself.

Sasuke enter his bathroom to wash up after a long day of work. He then wear a pair of black pant and a shirt as he enter his bedroom. He sit on his bed as he dry his hair with a towel.

 _'_ _I need to go back on training...'_ Even though he not a ninja anymore, he still have to train to keep himself in shape. The feel of his bones and joint aches every times he moves remind him that it been a while since his last training. He usually train far away from the village to prevent meeting with the villagers. Since this village is non-shinobi village, he would like to avoid on people finding out that he used to be a shinobi and a criminal at that.

He tried so hard to find a place where people won't recognized or know who he is and he finally found this place. He have a life here, no matter how small they are and He be damned if he letting it go to ruin on just a careless mistake. He looked at his palm the one with the moon sign on it. He remember before he arrived at this village, he able to sense that Naruto using the connection that they got from Sage of Six Path power to track him. To avoid on Naruto finding him, he learned to control his Sage of Six Path power. As a result, he able to closed off their connection. He still able to sense Naruto chakra but not his location. He figured that the same thing on Naruto side. As long Naruto won't be able to track him, he fine with it. Another good thing is he able to shut off his rinnegan eye power. Before, he unable to shut it down that his rinnegan eye keep active on his left eye. Now he can shut it down and activate it whenever he need it. Otherwise, he don't know how to keep it a secret from the villagers. He can wear an eye patch to cover it, but that will only make people more suspicious of him and that the last thing he need right now.

Sasuke lay on his bed and tried to get some sleep. He don't know how long will he get to lives like this. He know that his past going to catch up to him eventually, but he just want to forget all of it even it just for a while. His breathing slowly evened out as he falling asleep. Little does Sasuke know that his peace time will be ended sooner than he expected.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A man were running with his hand holding to his stomach where a blood leaking out from a wound. He in fear looked behind him like something chasing him. As he running, he see many dead bodies littered around at the street. Blood splattered everywhere the building that nearby. Afraid of been killed himself, the man picked up his speed as he quickly tried to get out from there. He almost reach the outskirt of the village when a figure with a burly body blocked his way. The man quivered in fear as the figure keep staring at him.

"Going somewhere?" the figure asked the man as he walked closer to him.

"P-please…don't k-kill me…p-please…" the man pleaded.

The figure stand in front of the man. He suddenly lifted the man up by his neck. The man tried to pry the figure hand from his neck but the figure only tightened his grip. "Mercy…Such a word doesn't exist in our world" the figure said as he snapped the man neck. He dropped the man to the ground with a blank look on his face as if he just not snapped a man neck like a twig just a moment ago.

"That mean of you, Hakaisha" A woman emerge from the shadow behind one of the tree nearby.

"Mind your own business, Kuiarasu" the man known as Hakaisha snapped at her.

"So rude" Kuiarasu said as she looked around her "Honestly, do you have to go this far? Such a mess."

"Yes. We need to attract their attention."

Kuiarasu shrugged.

"Any news on that person?" Hakaisha asked her.

"Yes"

"And…"

"Itami and Kontorora found out his location. A village known as Suta, two-hundred kilometer north-west from here."

"You positive it were him?"

"Positive. Apparently, he been living there for a while."

Hakaisha stayed silent.

"What our next move?" Kuiarasu asked him.

He looked at her. "Tell Itami and Kontorora to head there. We cannot waste this opportunity."

"What about us?"

"We going to go meeting with the others." Hakaisha said to her as he start to walk away. Kuiarasu looked at his back before she too start to follow him as they leaving the carnage that they leave behind.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto can't believe his luck, today Ichiraku's offer a free meal ramen for whole week. _'This totally his lucky day'_ he thought to himself as his start to ask Old Man Teuchi for a bowl of ramen. He excitedly waiting for his order when something entering his hearing.

 _'_ _Tap'_

Naruto looked around him but see nothing.

 _'_ _Tap, tap'_

Naruto looked around again as the sound continue to get louder and louder.

 _'_ _Tap, tap, tap'_

 _'_ _Nar…'_

 _'_ _Tap, tap, tap'_

Naruto startled from his sleep as he wake up. It takes him a moment to realize that the sound that he just heard is someone knocking on his front door. He can hear someone yelling at him to open the door. _'Probably Sakura'_ Naruto thought as the knocking continue to get louder and persistent. To avoid Sakura from breaking down his door, he quickly get up from bed and goes downstairs to open the door.

He opened the door and there was Sakura who still waiting outside where her hand at her hip and another poised to knock the door again. She dropped her hand as soon he opened the door.

Sakura look annoyed "Damn it, Naruto. I'm had been knocking on your door for hour! Didn't you hear me?"

"Sorry, Sakura-Chan." Naruto awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck "I overslept since I come late last night from training"

She quickly turns her head away when her eye finally caught up the state of his undress. Naruto looked at her confused at why she acting that way.

Sakura cleared her throat. "Anyway, get dressed. Hokage-sama requested our presence at the Hokage tower."

Naruto frowned "Kakashi-sensei? What did he want?"

"I don't know. The Anbu who deliver the message didn't tell me why. So, hurry up! We already late." She said to him

"Alright, alright" Naruto said as he held up his hand in surrender gesture.

"AND FOR GOD SAKES! NEXT TIMES PUT A DAMN PANTS ON, NARUTO!" Sakura said sternly as she still avoiding her eye from him.

Naruto looked down at himself as he realized his only in his boxer standing in front of Sakura at his doorway. Apparently he forgot to put on his pant when he answer the door early. He looked up at Sakura in embarrassment as she shakes her head at him.

"Sorry, Sakura-Chan" Naruto laughed nervously as he closed the door to get dressed.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Today definitely not his day. This morning when he enter his office, Kakashi only intention is that he can finally read the latest novel of Icha-Icha Paradise that he just purchased a day before. However, the mountain of paperwork that lay atop of his desk prevent him from reading his favourite novel. After he finished doing all the paperwork that need his sign and attention, he thought he can now focus on his novel. Only if that was true, since right now standing in front of him is team 8 plus Akamaru, Ino, Sai and Team 7. Well half of that team anyway since the last member still missing and unknown of his whereabouts.

 _'_ _Sasuke'_ he thought to himself. Even with so many thing had happened, Kakashi still consider him his student. That boy are so much like him that he even teach his own technique to him. Before Sasuke leave the village, he tried to reach out to him telling him to forget his revenge but it wasn't enough, Sasuke still leave the village anyway. He thought that Sasuke will come back to Konoha after helping them in the war, but he didn't. He should have known it too good to be true. Sometimes he felt like he a failure as jonin teacher, but when he look at Naruto and Sakura he can be more proud of them. How far they have grown from the genins he train long time ago to become a respectable shinobi. Thinking about that does ease his heart a little. If only he reach out to Sasuke harder, then maybe he also with them now.

"Kakashi-Sensei?" Naruto voice interrupted his thought.

He looked up at Naruto and saw he and everyone in the room is staring at him with concern look on their face. He so deeply in his thought that he didn't realize that he had gone silent for a while staring at his desk.

He shakes his head and push that thought away from his mind. _'Better focus on what in front of him right now'_ he thought to himself.

"Sorry, something came up on my mind just now" he said as he smiled at them.

"Why you summon us, Hokage-sama?" Shino asked.

The room was quiet for a moment as Kakashi smiled disappeared from his face. Everyone in the room feel anxious and tense as they consider what could have cause change in Rokudaime Hokage expression.

"The reason I summon you all here is because four hour ago, we received a message from our messenger that a small village located 20km from here was attacked."

Sakura shocked. "Attacked?"

"Oh my god…" Ino said as everyone else also shocked on what they just heard.

"How about the villagers?" Sai asked "Were there any survivor?"

"None" Kakashi answered sadly "All the villagers was killed even children's. No one was spared."

"That horrible" Hinata said as she looked at her friends.

Everyone cannot believe on what they just heard. They finally succeeded in achieved peace. The war is over. They all deserve a break after what they gone through. Not this. Not now when everyone still recovering from the war. There always will be a new threat emerged in the future but they didn't expect that it will hit on them too soon.

"Did you know who did it?"

Everyone looked at Naruto as he asked that question. They just now realized ever since Kakashi informed them about the attack, Naruto has become so quiet. No emotion betrayed his face as he waiting for Kakashi to answer. The only thing that show how he feel about this situation is both his hand clench tightly at his side.

"No…we have no clue who done these" Kakashi answered "but…we did know where their next location gonna be"

"Where?" Naruto asked him

"Earth Country"

"You think them heading to Iwagakure, Hokage-sama?" Shino asked.

"I'm not sure…but the trail that they leave behind indicated they heading to the earth country." He said "I already sent a message to Tsuchikage…he said he will instruct all Iwagakure shinobi to stay on guard and keep on high alert."

"What we going to do?" Kiba asked Kakashi.

"All of you will go to the earth country and follow their trail" Kakashi said "Since the attack happen in our country, we cannot just rely only on Iwagakure. Whoever they are, we must stop them from attacking again"

They all looked at each other.

Kakashi looked at them each in the eye "Remember, this is S-Rank mission. I want all of you to be careful and always stay on your guard. Do you understand?"

They all nodded their head.

Kakashi nodded. "I want you all to leave this evening. You all dismiss"

He leaned back on his chair as he watched all of them leave his office. Kakashi rubbed his forehead and opened his desk drawer. Inside lay his latest Icha-Icha Paradise begging to be read. Just he thought he could get a rest in his free time, he sighed as he closed back the drawer leaving the novel inside untouched.


End file.
